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Blast of cold, snow makes way to mid-Atlantic

WIL
Published 11:50 p.m. ET Dec. 5, 2013

Lauren Blanco, 23, plays with her 4-month-old dog, Fitzgerald, at the Park Central Square in Springfield, Mo., on Thursday. It was Fitzgerald's first time seeing snow. Most of southern Missouri was under winter weather warnings, with up to 8 inches of snow possible by this evening.(Photo: Nathan Papes)

A powerful winter storm that slammed much of the nation kept intensifying Thursday, draping many communities in skin-stinging cold. The system dumped 1 to 2 feet of snow in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, forcing school closures and temporary power outages and delighting skiers who hit the slopes despite temperatures in the single digits.

The south-central U.S. braced for the next blow, expected to come today in the form of sleet and ice that could imperil millions unaccustomed to the treacherous combination of moisture and bitter cold.

In Delaware, a cold rain starting today will give way to the possibility of a wintry mix and snow on Sunday and Tuesday morning as a cold blast in the nation's mid-section spreads east, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J.

While temperatures are expected to peak in the mid-50s today, brief snow accumulations of up to an inch are possible in parts of New Castle County and northern Kent by Sunday, with rising temperatures expected to bring a changeover to rain later the same day.

Nighttime temperatures could drop into the upper teens in Tuesday night, with equally low night-time temperatures returning Wednesday and Thursday, although more-moderate conditions could follow. Wilmington and built up areas of New Castle County seeing low 20s.

Although less likely, some wintry mix could return Tuesday, along with gusty winds. Most of the more-serious winter squalls, including a chance of icing, are likely to be confined to higher areas of northeastern Pennsylvania tonight and early Saturday.

"There's some cold air coming in from the central and even western part of the country, and it will get noticeably colder," said National Weather Service meteorologist Gary Szatkowski, "but it won't be the extreme cold that they're seeing out there."

Although National Weather Service limits its forecasts to seven days, State College, Pa., based Accuweather is predicting an easing of cold weather by next weekend, with temperatures on the first day of winter - Dec. 21 - likely to see a high of 43 and a high of 48 degrees on Christmas Day.

In Montana on Thursday, temperatures fell as low as minus 26 in Great Falls and minus 27 in Havre, both records. In parts of the Rockies and Northern Plains, wind made those conditions feel even colder.

The deep freeze, blamed on the jet stream's move southward, was expected to linger at least through the weekend.

With the mercury falls this low, the cold inflicts pain on exposed skin almost instantly, and water poured from a cup can freeze before hitting the ground.

The Red Cross urged people to stay inside or layer up to guard against frostbite if they must go out. The agency also asked residents to check on neighbors, especially those who need special assistance or live alone.

Holiday events were called off. In Rapid City, S.D., officials concluded it was too cold for ice skating.

Oil patch workers in the Plains endure the freezing temperatures by layering up beneath fire-retardant clothing and taking breaks in small heated shacks called "doghouses," which are often near rigs. Many companies also try to hire locals with at least five years of experience.

Steve Hendershot has shared the advice of dreaming of warmer climes to fellow workers in years past. He said a few have taken it literally.

"Some have actually left and gone to that warm, happy place," he said.

Some workers gripe about the bone-numbing temperatures, he added. Many others take pride in withstanding it.

"This is what I love to do," said Craig Hovet, during a break from maintenance work on a well Wednesday near Mandaree. "The joke around here is: This kind of weather keeps out the riffraff."

North Dakota historically has conjured up images of a bleak, wind-swept and treeless wasteland. The perception was so great that one group a decade ago proposed changing the state's name by dropping "North" and leaving just "Dakota," to dispel the state's image of inhospitable winter weather.

That was before North Dakota's recent oil bonanza, which has brought swarms of people to the state in search of jobs and a fresh start. Now thousands of new oil wells have been punched though the prairie, generating billions of dollars and abundant work. It's a boom that doesn't pause for the weather.

"The pace probably slows during extreme blizzard conditions," said Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, an industry group that represents hundreds of oil-related companies. "And there are extra precautions on safety. But it's work that is not going to stop."

Hendershot was keeping close tabs on his crew Thursday, making sure they got plenty of breaks in the heated work shacks.

One worker told him that it had gotten so cold that "it froze his soul."

"There is only a certain amount of time these guys can work in this, and some people get cold quicker than others," Hendershot said. "Everybody talks about how much money an oil worker is paid. They earn it."

Daryl Andersen, a North Dakota native and 30-year oilman who now runs a well-services company, recalled his grade-school history books that described how George Washington and his army suffered at Valley Forge.

"But we're colder here than they ever were," he said.

This story contains information from staff writer Jeff Montgomery and the Associated Press